Because we all need time to breathe.

Menu

Post navigation

11 weeks out from delivering our beautiful girl, I find I have been really down on my body. It doesn’t even look like it did before Cricket… not even at the same weight. Things don’t fit the same. I don’t feel the same. I look at it and it looks like the body of someone else, someone older and doughier.

I took 10 weeks of maternity leave full-time, and 2 weeks part-time from home. These 2 weeks have been an eye opener… I struggle to get work done, and keep Cricket taken care of. To pump and feed. To do laundry and clean house. To make delicious and nutritious meals… Working full-time and caring for an infant will be no joke.

I haven’t found time to exercise while on maternity. A few walks here and there… Some strength training spattered in there as well. I don’t imagine it will be better when I get to working full-time in the office again. And that makes me so sad because I truly wanted to start out with habits during this transition in our life that I could share and show Cricket. It makes me feel like I’m failing her already.

And then I thought about how lucky I am to be where I am at with my body.

Because I have a beautiful baby girl, whom I love more than the world.

Last year in May I participated in a 30 day challenge that involved: running/walking 1 mile daily, realacing an unhealthy breakfast with a healthy one (Mine wasn’t unhealthy to start) and journal on what moves/motivates you. I am doing a variation on that theme starting tomorrow…
April 1 – April 30 I will run a mile everyday. I am also committing to three random acts of kindness each day if the month.
I am also giving myself a little push and from April 1 until my husband moves up on April 12. I am giving up junk food, fried food (Which basically IS junk food!), added sugar, and…. drumroll…. breads!

I only say finally because it’s almost always springy down in Roanoke. Quite a different winter experience than Vermont.

This morning Theron and I trotted down to the Colchester Bike Path; and I didn’t have to wear gloves!!! And I only had a vest on! It was so wonderful… enough to make the soul sing and happiness seep deep into my bones.

We wandered over the bridge that connects my mother’s neighborhood to the Bike Path.. This creek can’t quite compete with the Roanoke River…
But the lake at the end of this shot of the path totally wins!! Okay… You have squint to see it, but I promise there’s a nice big lake down there!
It was one of those perfect crisp mornings where we could smell all sorts of delightful things… Like the last vestiges of the wood smoke from the previous night fire to stave off the cold… The hay for the horses housed at the horse farm across the road from Mothers… The muddy patches where the snow has melted…
Smores and I have been enjoying the afternoon on the sun porch with the windows all open… She’s been keeping an eye on this cutie at the horse barn, and it’s been so lovely that I haven’t been able to buckle down and work from home yet. Theron’s been an outdoor dog all day. All that’s missing is my gorgeous husband! April 11, hurry hurry hurry!

I’ve been taking advantage of this really great program offered by the Roanoke Valley Library system. They now have free memberships (for library patrons) to Universal Class. Universal Class gives you the opportunity to learn and explore on different topics. I signed up for five classes – maxed it out – of course!

I am working through the Wellness Coaching one right now, and was working on the lesson regarding Mental Wellness, and came across information about affirmations.

The general gist of them (in the context of information from this class) is that they are statements written, said internally and/or externally, in the present tense to help work through situations.

For example…

I am still struggling with placing adequate importance on working out. It’s something that disappoints me and frustrates me daily. In order to overcome that hurdle I could use affirmations. Some affirmations I could use are listed below.

It is my choice as to how strong I am. I am the creator of my health.

Exercise is a big component of health. I chose to be healthy.

Some of the suggestions from the lesson were:

Frustration: Even though I dislike frustration, I can handle it.

To get pleasant results, I often have to do unpleasant things.

Achievement: What I become is my choice, for only I am the creator of my destiny.

I’m no longer afraid to use the power within me to achieve my goals.

Love: I draw love and romance into my life and I accept it now.

Love is all around me. I feel everywhere. Joy fills my entire world.

I’m committing to trying affirmations for the next month and see if I find it changes my perception. It seems like it’s similar to the cognitive based therapy process of re-framing your thoughts.